Modern computing devices provide a myriad of communication options for users to connect with one another. For example, users may employ voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) applications to communicate via voice, or video conferencing applications to communicate via video. Additionally, advances in virtual reality, augmented reality, and telepresence have also expanded the ways that users may communicate and interact with each other in real, virtual, or mixed environments.
Unfortunately, traditional options for visually representing users within communication applications are limited. For example, conventional avatars, such as may be used to represent users in traditional VOIP applications or artificial environments, may not effectively convey non-verbal cues that humans may rely on to gauge listener engagement in conversations. Additionally, when video communication is available, such as in a conventional video conferencing application, representing the user via a video feed may rob the user of desired privacy. Hence, the instant application identifies and addresses a need for additional ways to visually represent users in communication applications.